New Obstacle in Brexit Negotiations; The Territory of Gibraltar

The Spanish government has warned that it will oppose the British government's proposed plan for leaving the European Union unless it receives sufficient guarantees for specific negotiations regarding the future of Gibraltar. In recent months, little information has been publicly released about the future of Gibraltar during the intense Brexit negotiations. But why has the Spanish government issued a warning at this late stage of the difficult negotiations regarding Gibraltar, and how will this affect the upcoming EU leaders' discussions on Brexit scheduled for Sunday? Gibraltar is a small peninsula in southeastern Spain that became British territory in 1713. With a population of around 30,000, it has always been a focal point of tension in Spain-Britain relations, as Spain seeks to reclaim the area. With Britain's exit from the EU, Gibraltar, where 96% of the population voted to remain in the Union, will also leave. Despite welcoming the protocol related to Gibraltar in the British Prime Minister's proposal last week, the Spanish government has recently expressed objections to the text of this protocol, as the future of negotiations between Madrid and London regarding the area remains unclear. The Spanish government insists that the Brexit agreement must explicitly state that future negotiations and agreements between Britain and the EU will not include Gibraltar, and decisions regarding the future of the area should only be made in direct negotiations between Madrid and London. Some European diplomats believe that the Socialist Prime Minister of Spain has raised this issue to garner more votes in the Andalusian regional elections scheduled for December 2. They believe that the leaders of Britain and Spain can resolve this issue and have urged the Spanish government not to jeopardize the overall Brexit agreement. British Prime Minister Theresa May stated in Parliament that she would not agree to exclude the future of Gibraltar from negotiations regarding future relations with the EU. According to EU regulations, the agreement regarding the exit of a member country is approved by a qualified majority of EU countries, and a single country cannot block its approval. Nevertheless, all 27 EU member states seek complete unity on sensitive issues such as Britain's exit. Theresa May is set to meet with senior EU officials in the coming days to resolve remaining disputes in her proposed Brexit plan. EU member state leaders will review this plan at their meeting on Sunday, December 4.